BWI's Concourse D evacuated to check `suspicious' item

October 12, 2001|BY A SUN STAFF WRITER

In the first significant security alert at Baltimore-Washington International Airport since the terrorist attacks Sept. 11, officials evacuated a concourse yesterday to check a "suspicious" item that turned out to be a hand-held water filtration system, officials said.

Concourse D, which has gates for US Airways and Trans World Airlines, was closed at 6:14 a.m. and reopened at 7:40 a.m., officials said. The closure caused major backups.

The passenger carrying the device in carry-on luggage was released after being questioned. An airport spokeswoman said he was cooperative and was allowed to take the device with him.